The history of Christianity in Nigeria nay Africa is not complete without the mention of the name, Cornelius Adam Igbudu. A legend even in his lifetime, Adam Igbudu as he is popularly known, carried out evangelism and winning souls for Christ as no one before and after him has done in Isokoland and the entire Niger-Delta region of Nigeria.
Adam Igbudu hails from the historical village of Araya in present day Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State where a mysterious Bible believed to have fallen from the sky, was found around 1914 in Araya. In 1927, he sought the help of one Michael Adarugo Akara of Araya to teach him the Isoko alphabet popularly known as the A B D E Ẹ (Ah Bee dee aay ęęh.) having mastered the Isoko alphabet, he began to learn how to read and write in Isoko Language and his teacher was an Isoko catechist named John Mark Israel Elohor of Uzere. Even after he was transferred to another town. Adam Igbudu grew up an Anglican. The Anglican Church popularly known then as CMS (Church Missionary Society) was one of the two churches that were active in Isoko district at this time. The other was the Roman Catholic Church (RCM.) In line with his belief in cleanliness of mind and body, he formed a prayer group in 1938 which he called Ole-Orufuo. (The literary translation of Ole-Orufuo is Song of Cleanliness. In other words, Song of Cleanliness Prayer Group.) The initial members were all from Araya and they were David Isara, Sussanah Lady Unuori, Phillip Ebeh, Jossy Okpoziakpo, and Adam Igbudu. It was later in 1946 that Adam Igbudu younger brother, Samuel Macaulay Igbudu joined them. On weekdays, the group moved from village to village spreading the gospel. Nabofa stated that the group usually set out for their campaigns in the early evenings, when most people would have returned home from the farm, market or wherever they went to. As they approached a targeted village, they begin to whistle, sing their songs and clap their hands (Aboh! Aboh!) When they got to a strategic place in the village, they stopped and began to sing and dance.
The news of Adam’s visit spread so much that the Roman Catholic Mission church in Umeh merged with the CMS church just because they wanted to witness Adam’s singing, preaching and dancing with his group. The result was that the proceeds from the harvest were great. To many people it was a great miracle because they could not imagine how a small village church like Umeh, at that time, could collect £140 in a harvest service… in a situation where churches of that size were not exceeding £10.
The superintendent of the Isoko CMS churches for the area at the time, Rev. Ezekwesili, was very surprised by the large offering received by the Umeh church, and traced it back to the visit of Igbudu and his group. He was so impressed that he gave Igbudu a letter of commendation authorizing him and his group to operate in any CMS church in the Isoko district. This is how the “Ole-Orufuo” developed into a larger group with members spread all over Isokoland.
THE DEATH OF ADAM IGBUDU
Adam Igbudu departed this world on the 12th of March 1981. The mysterious things that accompanied his death were a further confirmation that he was indeed a man sent by God to this world on a mission. Like William Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar through the mouth of Calpurnia, “When beggars die there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes,” so it was when Adam died. The pervading eerie mood around Araya where he died made it glaring even to children that something usual had happened in the land. Melodious songs, like those of the A.A.P.S., were reported to have been heard in Araya and the surrounding villages at the time of his death. Those who heard it thought that certain evangelical groups were arriving from elsewhere for a crusade. People came to see who was making such melodious music, but they saw no one; and yet, they were still hearing the melodious song all over the place. Such melodious tunes were also heard at the Mariere Memorial Hospital, where his body was kept in the mortuary. People also came out to see those who were singing, but they only heard the voice, and no-one could be seen. There were some other signs that occurred in Isoko, which have also been linked to Adam’s death. It was also reported that during the time of his death, people in villages adjoining Araya saw signs in the heavens, one of which was a heavenly chariot surrounded by clouds. when it was getting near that time, he requested that one of his daughters, Ruth, get him some water so that he could take his bath. When she was not forthcoming, he went to fetch the water by himself, took his bath, went inside, and applied a cream to himself. He later got up, went into his room, got dressed, and came back to sit in the easy chair where he used to relax. Around noon, he died in this relaxed state. His daughter Ruth later came into the house to attend to his request for water, but found him dead. His invitation to Barnabas of Uro, and his bathing and dressing up before his death, have been interpreted by people as preparations for his departure. They believe that he must have had a premonition of his death, which would explain all the preparation.
The final resting place and statue of Adam Igbudu at Araya
When the news spread around Isoko and beyond that Adam Igbudu was dead, so many people did not believe it. Even those that believed, many of them felt a miracle would happen one way or the other to bring him back. It wasn’t until he was buried on the 4th of April, 1981 at his compound at Araya that they were finally convinced that Ose mai eva Kristi o kpono (Our father in Christ has gone (home.)).
So astounding and profound was the life and death of Adam Igbudu that Christians in Isoko and Urhoboland decided to canonize him. He was thus elevated to the status of a saint and a church: St Adam’s Anglican Church was built at Oghio in Olomu in Urhoboland in his memory.